Stay Gone
by Kiki Smythe
Summary: A mystical jewel was lost in the recesses of the earth. There it laid forgotten except by a few. A person is after the Shikon Jewel, and no one knows if its for good or ill
1. Prologue

Disclaimer:  I _do not_ own Yu Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha, the song "Stay Gone", or any other thing related to those mentioned previously.

Stay Gone

Prologue: Maps

~*~

Kagome was sitting on a small hill outside the village.  On her lap were pencils, paper, a textbook, a ruler, and a protractor.  Beside her was her faithful yellow backpack, bugling to the seams with miscellaneous items.

Kagome sighed.  It was really peaceful out here.  No cars, no pollution, no screaming people…

"Yo, Kagome!  What are you doing up here?"

Kagome spun around.  "Oh Inuyasha, it's just you."

Inuyasha plopped down on the grass next to her.  "Who else would it be?

Kagome looked down at her lap with a light pink on her cheeks.  "I don't know, but you can never be to sure out here can you?"  She faced Inuyasha, "Am I right?"

"Keh, it seems like you are learning _something_."

"And what is that supposed to mean, Inuyasha?!"

"Nothing!" yelled Inuyasha, as he realized his mistake.

"Oh really?" she said sarcastically.  "Hm, why I don't believe you?"

"Uh… no comment?"

"Yeah, well I have a comment…"  Kagome took a deep breath and yelled, "Osuwari!"

Pulled by the magical necklace around his collar, Inuyasha's face painfully met the dirt.  Mumbled words were heard from the ground, and Kagome could just translate it as, "Wench!  What was that for?"

"That was for implying that I was stupid."

"What the hell does 'Implying' mean?"

Kagome sighed.  "Never mind.  Forget I said anything."

Inuyasha had managed to wrench himself out of the ground by then.  "Keh."

Kagome sighed and returned her attention to her lap.  Why couldn't Inuyasha not be rude for once?

"Hey Kagome, what is that?"

Kagome glanced up at Inuyasha and then to the piece of paper laying on her legs.  "Oh this?  This is homework for my class."

"Keh, whatever."

Kagome took that as a sign of curiosity.  "Well, you see, I have to do most of my make up work in History and Geography.  Since they both gave out projects, I decided to combine them.  That way I do less work and I don't waste the time we could be using to find the Shikon shards.  Get it?"

"You still haven't told me what you're doing."

"I'm making a map, see?"  Kagome held up a half-finished map of the village and it surrounding area.  "I'm going to put on the names of the forests and landmarks.  Along with a brief description of them for history class."

Inuyasha crossed his arms.  "Keh, whatever."

Kagome smiled.  "I'm glad you like it!"

"I didn't say that!"  Inuyasha yelled as Kagome stood up.

"I know, but I could tell since I know you too well."

"What is that supposed to mean?" yelled Inuyasha.

~*~

"I'm impressed, Ms. Kagome.  This must've taken some time and effort!" exclaimed Kagome's Geography teacher while peering at Kagome's map.

Kagome bowed.  "I'm glad you like it."

"How did you do it?" questioned her History teacher.

"I used some old books from my grandfather's collection.  We live on a shrine, so it was pretty easy to get your hands on."

"Ah, I see.  Well, I think this map deserves an A.  What do you think Mr. Kawasaki?"

Mr. Kawasaki studied the paper.  "I think an A would suffice.  After all, this isn't some random drawing."

Kagome bowed again.  "Thank you, sir."

"Well, since you've been absent so much, I'm going to count this as a major grade.  I hope it helps you pass."

"Thank you Mrs. Yukihiro!"

"Quite welcome, now go on to your next class."

"Thanks again," yelled Kagome as she raced out of the room.  It looks like I will survive until next year!

~*~

Weeks later, the group had been setting up camp when Miroku and Kagome sensed an evil presence coming towards them.

Inuyasha, being the head male of the group, stood up and declared that it was Naraku.

Everyone got ready, and waited.

Suddenly, Inuyasha swiped at a bush, and out dodged Naraku, coated in his baboon skin.

"So… the little puppy wants to play," he sneered.  Thousands of youkais came out of the woods, effectively distracting the dog hanyou.

"Inuyasha watch out!" cried Kagome.

Naraku's tentacle shot out and pierced Inuyasha through the stomach.  Inuyasha was thrown on his back.

"Inuyasha!"  Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha staggered up using Tetsusaiga as a crutch.  Another of Naraku's tentacles found its way to a major organ.

"No!"  Kagome fell down on her knees.

Inuyasha was breathing heavily now.  "Naraku," he panted.  "I will make you pay."

"Kuku, and how are you going to do that?" laughed Naraku as he observed the slouched hanyou.

"Like this!"  Inuyasha gathered up his remaining strength and heaved Tetsusaiga up to perform a blow that would kill everything in his path.

Unfortunately, for Naraku, he seemed to be in that path.

_At least_, Naraku thought as he disintegrated, _I will not be the only one going to my death today_.

"Inuyasha!"  Kagome rushed to him.  He was bleeding profoundly.  Dark brown stains were seen on his bright red haori.  Tetsusaiga had disappeared along with Naraku.

Kagome scooped his head up in her arms.  "Inuyasha?  Please speak to me."  No reply.  

"Inuyasha?" she pleaded.

Inuyasha turned his slightly glazed eyes to her.  "Kagome?" he whispered.

"Yes, Inuyasha?  Is there anything you need?"

"No." he coughed.  "Good… bye."  He exhaled and the movement from his chest ceased.

Kagome sat hunched over the corpse.

"Kagome?  Are you alright?" questioned Sango.

Kagome wearily raised her head.  She appeared dead.  Inuyasha, her love, was now gone.

"Come on; let's get you to Kaede's village."

Kagome allowed herself to be lifted up.  Sango put her arm around her shoulders and whispered words of encouragement.

She started to leave the battle scene when Kagome straightened up and walked up to a pile of bones.  Kagome reached inside and unearthed half of the Shikon jewel.  Turning back to Sango, she smiled wearily and limped toward the village.

Sango stood to the side.  She heard groaning to her left.  It was Miroku.  He had managed to get himself under a particularly large pile of youkai bones.

"What am I going to do with you?" she sighed.

~*~

Kaede found Kagome sitting outside her hut with a blank look on her face.

"Child, what ails thee?"  Kagome didn't even acknowledge her.

"Kagome?"  Still, no reply.  "Would ye like to come inside, then?"

Kagome stood up and went inside the hut.  She looked like her fire had been burned out.  She looked like Kikyou.

~*~

Kagome kept this attitude up for weeks.  She would eat rarely and sleep even less.  Only Shippo would be able to break that routine, and that was only with excessive coaxing.

Everyday she withdrew deeper into herself.  All her friends could do was watch.  Every time they tried to approach her, she would look scared and afraid.  It was as if she didn't want to remember that day… or them.

Sango confronted Kaede one day while she was out picking herbs.

"Why is she doing this Kaede?  Why?  We are just trying to help her!"

"It seems as if Kagome is in denial," observed Kaede while motioning for Sango to help her.

"Denial?  What good would that do?" inquired the ever-practical Sango.

"I know not, Child.  All I know is that she is in excessive, emotional pain and needs to have a period of time to sort things out."  Kaede was still waving her hand.

Sango sighed and bent her back to look for plants.  "How long, Kaede?  And how can I help?"

"It depends on how deep her love was for Inuyasha."

"You still haven't told me how to help."

Kaede plucked an herb and placed it in her basket.  "It seems as if she wants to block out that day.  Ye seem to be reminders since ye were at the battle.  The only help I can see is if ye left her."

"Left her?!"  Sango shouted while standing up tall.  "How could I do that?"

"Aye, leave her.  Kagome is your only tie to this group.  Ye have no other reason to stay.  Your revenge is complete, why waste the rest of your life doing nothing?"

"I would be doing something!  I'd be here with Kagome!"

"But Kagome doesn't need thee right now.  She has her emotions to go through and she has her life in the future."

Sango hunched her shoulders.  "So you think Miroku and I should leave?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Kaede stated while standing up tall.

"Fine.  I'll try to convince Miroku to join me."  She thought about the other statements and sighed.  "You're right; we have no other reason to be here now that Naraku is dead."

Kaede gave her an encouraging smile as she whispered, "I will miss both of ye."

~*~

Kagome was walking through the forest.  Sango and Miroku left the day before to help fight against the increasing number of youkai attacks in other villages.  Now she was alone.

Kaede, noticing her demeanor, suggested that she take a walk.

So here she was, tramping through the undergrowth unguarded.

She heard leaves crunching somewhere to her left…

~*~

The youkai was getting away!

While on her walk, a youkai had snuck up on her and grabbed the Shikon Jewel!  It was her only tie to Inuyasha!  She was desperate to get it back.

The youkai was a 50 meters ahead of her.  Running at her pace, taunting her with her human limitations, knowing that she couldn't go any faster while he could leave her in the dust.  Oh how she hated that!

She couldn't catch up.  She knew it, but that didn't stop her from trying.

And then… a tremor hit.

Japan is known for its earthquakes.  Located at the edges of three tectonic plates, the Japanese islands are the direct result of the meeting place.  Once a week, there is at least one tremor strong enough for humans to feel.  Most of the time they are so small, that the population has learned to ignore them.  Other times, they can't be pushed aside so easily.

This was one of those times.

The earth started shaking.  The trees surrounding Kagome were becoming uprooted and falling over.  She had to get out of here and into a clearing!

She started to run.  Until she remembered the Shikon.  This was the perfect time to get it back.  The youkai was clearly occupied with dodging trees.

She made her way towards him.

The youkai was moving at a dizzying pace.  Jumping left and then right.  Trying vainly to avoid the trees.  An oak came up from behind him and knocked the Shikon from his grasp.

Scrambling for it, he didn't see a crack in the ground behind him.  He didn't realize that he was about to fall in.

Grabbing the Shikon, he grinned triumphantly, and then plunged into the earth.

~*~

Kagome wasn't watching her surrounding area.  She was too focused on her goal.  A tree came down and hit her with its branches, burying her underneath the foliage.

She remained there, on the ground, until sunset.

Shippo found her and alerted the farmers.  They managed to get her out with out too much damage to her body.  She was freezing and wounded with several cuts and gashes that would scar later.

~*~

After several days of rest, she came back to the place were she was hurt.  There was a large line of dirt where the crack used to be.

Getting on her hands and knees, she crawled around following the line.  She stopped in one place.

"Its still here.  The Shikon is still here!"  She opened her senses a bit more.  She muttered, "It's faint.  It must be pretty far down."

Kagome sat back on her heels.  She would need modern equipment to get it out of the ground.  Expensive, gigantic, modern equipment.

It was hopeless, but she wouldn't give up.  She was its protector, and she _would_ do her best to live up to her responsibility… and to protect her from her guilt.

~*~

Kagome packed her and Shippo's belongings and was ready to depart for the modern world.  She couldn't fulfill her duties here in the Feudal Era.

"Kagome, are ye sure about this?" questioned Kaede as she approached the pair.

Kagome nodded her head.  "I'm positive Kaede.  I can't get the jewel here, and there is that small chance of finding it there.  I'm going to have to finish my education in order to launch a dig for the jewel, though."

Kaede smiled at that.  It seemed as if Kagome might actually heal.  She was logically thinking!  That was something that had been absent during her mourning.

"If ye think its best."

"Thanks Kaede," Kagome started to tear up.  "I'll miss you like crazy.  Will you please tell that to Sango and Miroku when they come to visits?"

"Aye."

"Thanks so much!" she cried as she flung her arms around the aging Miko.

"Ye are welcome," Kaede said while she returned the hug.

"I can't say that I will return permanently.  But once I find the jewel I know I will visit."

"That is all I ask."

Kagome sniffed.  "I got to get going."

"Go on then, and remember your promise."

"I will.  Bye Kaede!"

"Bye Kagome!"

In the distance, Kaede saw Kagome scoop up Shippo and carry him in the forest.

It was the last time she ever saw them.


	2. Shikon

Chapter 1: Shikon

A figure sat hunched over a desk that was overflowing with ancient and modern maps, books of tectonic movement, a calculator, piles and piles of notebooks with scribbles all over them, and a single lamp.

That figure was hurriedly writing things down on one of the sheets of papers.  It seemed as if the person was on the verge of a break through.

Sure enough, the figure threw down the pencil and yelled, "Yes!"

"Sh!  Miss, please sit down.  You are still in the library!"

Ducking her head, the young woman gave a slight nod of consent and started gathering up her books.  A beam of light made its way towards her and you could see a grin about ready to crack her face in half.

~*~

"I've done it!  I've done it!" screamed Kagome at Shippo.

"You did?" he questioned incredulously.

"I figured it out!" she shrieked.  "Do you know what this means?  I can finally find it!"

Shippo celebrated along with her.  Grabbing her hand and jumping up and down along with her, he laughed.

~*~

Kagome was standing at a makeshift table showing archeologists maps and diagrams for that one area.  Kagome was at the one place where she wanted to be for four years, the dig site for the Shikon jewel.

"Okay!" Kagome pointed to the person across from her.  "I want you to start digging by that tree!  If there are some body remains, don't worry.  It used to be the villages cemetery."

She pointed to another person, "You, the guy in the red shirt, Hiro is it?  Start next to the tent over there.  I want both of you to direct your crew towards the center, which is where we are right now.  You got it.  You understand.  Alright!  Let's move!"

"You know, you're acting like Kouga," piped up Shippo.

"Yeah, now I know how he felt.  When you want something so badly, you start to act strange."

"You can say that again."

Kagome groaned.  "Don't start with me Shippo."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop!"

"Good, I don't think I could handle anything more today."

~*~

Kurama was walking home, carrying about ten tons of groceries.  Man oh man, why do I have to be a sucker for tears?

Earlier, his mom had asked him to do the groceries for her.  Normally, he wouldn't have minded, but Yusuke was on the phone telling him about Keiko and their last "disagreement" and, by the looks of it, seemed to have really screwed things up.

He told his mom that he would do it later.  Then (Kurama shuddered at the memory) his mom got tears in her eyes.  Kurama couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight.  He hurriedly told Yusuke to talk it out with Keiko and hung up the phone.

By then, his mom had a huge smile on her face.  She gave him a list of things to do and… he ended up here.

Thank goodness for Youko's strength, or else Kurama would've been on the sidewalk crushed by the weight of the supplies.

"Yo Kurama!" yelled Yusuke's voice.  Kurama's head moved slightly so Yusuke was in his line of vision.  "We got a 'top priority mission' on our heads."

Kurama shifted the bags into a more comfortable position.  "Really?" 

"Yes really!  Why else would I drag my butt out here to meet you?" yelled Yusuke.

'He has a point,' said Youko.

'Shut up,' thought Kurama while he said, "I wouldn't know, Yusuke.  Could you please help me with these bags?  I need to get them to my mother before I go."

"Whatever," Yusuke muttered while taking a few bags.

"Thanks for the help."

Yusuke just grumbled in reply.

~*~

Through out Makai, there were rumors circulating like a wild fire. 

"Did you hear?"

"Yeah I heard, is it true?"

"Who cares if it is true?  The Shikon Jewel is reappearing!"

"Where is it?!"

"In the human world, of course!  It disappeared before the barrier came up."

"But if it has come back, imagine the power it holds!"

"Any youkai with it in his possession would be unstoppable!"

Youkai everywhere were plotting to return to the human world.

~*~

"Ahem.  Everyone, I need your attention."

Everyone turned to Koenma.

"It seems as if there has been an influx of youkai escapees from Makai."

"Hell yeah!" blurted out Yusuke.  "I have Keiko out for my head because I have been so busy!"

"That's nice Yusuke," replied Koenma dryly, "but I was going to tell you about the cause of it.  Not state the obvious."

Kuwabara muttered, "About time."

"I resent that.  Now does anyone know about the Shikon Jewel?"

Hiei gave a quick jerk of his head.

"Well that was expected.  The Shikon Jewel is a powerful object about the size of a very large bead."

"A bead?  How can a bead be powerful?" snorted Yusuke.

"As much as I _love your comments, Yusuke, I would prefer if you didn't use them right now.  Now, back to the Shikon.  The Shikon has the power to increase a youkai's power tenfold."_

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Slow down!  You mean this thing can make youkai _stronger_ than they usually are?!" said Kuwabara

"Yes, that's what he meant," replied Kurama while Yusuke sniggered.

"Can I finish?  Someone is looking for the Shikon and the youkai in Makai want to get their hands on it."

"No duh."

"_I said shut up!  Now, my sources tell me that the person looking for it has a high amount of spirit energy…"_

Someone mumbled, "What else is new?"

Koenma decided to ignore them.  "And I want you to go undercover and keep me updated on how the dig is going."

"Dig?" questioned Yusuke, "What dig?"

"The archeological dig for the Shikon Jewel, of course."

"You want us to act like scientist?!"

"No, you wouldn't have the smarts for that.  Kurama, on the other hand, would.  I want you to act as paid help, such as a person that moves the dirt and equipment."

"You want me to act as a laborer?!"

"Yes, that was exactly what I wanted."

Yusuke tried to lunge at Koenma, but he was held back by Kuwabara, "I ought to strangle you for all of the things you do to me!"

Kurama stepped in.  "Sorry sir, he just had an argument with Keiko and I don't think it ended up too well."

"Well get him out of here, then!  I don't want to deal with Keiko!"

"Yes sir."  Kurama and Kuwabara managed to drag a struggling Yusuke out the door.

"Hiei, I want you to take the job of exterminating the youkai entering the human realm."

Hiei replied with an "Hn," and followed the rest of the group out of the door.

~*~

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- youkai world

~*~

Bad chapter, I know.  It is building up to the point where they will meet.  I'm working on the rest right now!

~*~

I want to say thanks to all of my Reviewers:

Lady Sakura

Artemis the Goddess

Lani- Thanks for being my editor!

Alleen

Hieiwannabe

Rosie13

Melshenia


	3. Warm?

Dark_lil_Hiei has asked me to write longer chapters.  I would, but right now, I'm having a kind of block on this story.  I'm going to start out short, and then slowly increase in length.  Really sorry, I haven't thought that far ahead in specifics.  I vaguely know what I'm writing, and I change the plot constantly.  So basically, I'm trying to figure out what to write next so I can get into the main plot of the story.  Hold your horses, people.  I will finish this fic!

~*~

Chapter 2:  Warm?

Yusuke was ticked.  Mainly because Keiko was ticked at him and because he had to do _more backbreaking labor!  Genkai was bad enough, but at least he had some pride in what he was doing.  But, __in this, he had none whatsoever.  This was the job for people living on the streets!  This was the job for people that liked the dirt!  This was a job for people who didn't have one!_

Yusuke kept this mantra up in his head until someone said his name.  He didn't even spare the person a glance.  "Yeah?  What do you want?  Can't you see that I'm busy?!"

"Really?  Is that why you are muttering under your breath about throttling Koenma?"

Yusuke swirled around, about to give the person a piece of his mind.  "I said 'Can't you see'…"  Yusuke trailed off.  "Hello Kurama."

Kurama chuckled softly.  "Hello to you too.  I was wondering if you knew where Kuwabara was."

"Why should I know where the Great Cat Lover is?"

Kurama shrugged.  "Well, you and I are the only people who know him.  Since I didn't know where he was, I figured that you might."

Yusuke snorted.  "Fat chance in that.  I bet he's playing with his 'kitty' right at this very moment."

"Well he better hurry up since we have to catch the bus soon."

"Believe me, he'll show up just as the bus is leaving."

~*~

"Come on Eikichi!" Kuwabara cooed.  "I have to get to work, and I can't leave until I say goodbye to you!"  Kuwabara waited for Eikichi to appear.  "I will be gone for a long time!"

Lo and behold, Eikichi came running out and was at Kuwabara's feet before he could even take a breath.  "Eikichi!"

"Good bye, I'll miss you," whispered Kuwabara as he scooped up Eikichi.

Kuwabara then looked at the clock.  "Oh my gosh!  I'm late!"

Kuwabara was seen running down the road cursing his luck.

~*~

"Okay gang," called Kagome.  "Have we had any luck at the dig sites?"

Hiro stepped forward.  "As you said, Miss, we found some bone fragments in the location where you said they might be, but nothing that could be considered of worth."

"Hm, what seems to be the problem with the dig?"

"Miss, we have no landmarks to go by or any facts that could help us in this search."

"I would tell you information about the dig," Kagome lied, "but I am under orders not to.  I'll try to talk with the museum about making a leeway so you can search faster."

No, you just need time to think about what you can tell them, thought Shippo.  You can't tell them the truth or else the Jewel will try to taint their thoughts with visions of power and glory.

Shippo grinned.  It seems that all that time spent with Miroku and Inuyasha has paid off.  Kagome can now lie without blushing!

"Miss Kagome, it seems as if the museum is sending over someone to oversee the dig."

"What?!" yelled Kagome.  She had planned this out perfectly!  She didn't count on someone else!  "Why?"

"Well it seems that the university feels that it would be safer and more productive if another person was to report them as well.  After all, little, tiny details might be lost, and since this is such an important dig, they want to keep a tight grip on it."

Kagome nodded her head.  She understood their concern; she just wished they didn't pay so much attention.  "When is this person coming over?"

"He should be arriving in half an hour with a few more workers."

"Excellent, tell me when he arrives."

"Yes Ma'am."

~*~

"What time is it?" whined Yusuke.

"About 8:45," stated Kurama as he checked his watch.  "Why?"

"I'm bored."

"Gee, I never noticed," said Kuwabara sarcastically.

"Are you being smart with me?!" yelled Yusuke as he raised his fist.

"No, I…"  Kuwabara didn't get to say anything else.  It seemed that Yusuke lost his temper and had punched him square in the face.

"He just had to provoke him," stated Kurama while shaking his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" shouted Yusuke.

"Oh nothing," he replied.  "It seems that we have arrived, that's all."  Kurama stepped off the bus.

"You must be the new people.  Welcome," spoke a female voice with not one hint of a welcome in it.

All of the gang turned and saw a young woman decked out in a pair of brown overalls and an old plaid shirt.  Her face was brown with dust and dirt.  And her hands seemed to be full with papers, maps, and books.

Kurama spoke up, "Are you Mrs. Higurashi?"

"Miss Higurashi.  And yes, I am her."  She spoke stiffly, as if she disliked being in their presence.  "I assume that you are the person sent to help."

Kurama gave a slight bow of his head in acknowledgement.  "You are correct."

"Of course I'm correct," she snapped.  "I have been for the past few years… in everything."

Yusuke was sniggering behind Kurama's back while Kuwabara was staring blankly at Higurashi.  But he was staring for a reason.

Kuwabara was shocked at Higurashi's behavior.  She was treating them like a piece of dirt, yet he sensed great amounts of kindness coming from her soul and herself.  This befuddled him.  If she was kind, why was she the ice queen?

"What you staring at?" snapped Higurashi.

"No- Nothing," he stuttered.

"Good."  She turned back to Kurama.  "I will need you to follow me so I can give you a brief description of our progress.  I will also need to know what your role is going to be here, so I know not to get in your way."  She glanced at Yusuke and Kuwabara, "Shippo will tell you were you are to start working."

"Who's Shippo," questioned Yusuke as Higurashi left.

"I'm Shippo," piped up a small voice from beside them.  A redheaded kid walked out in front of them.  "I'm here to show you where to dig.  Oh, and don't worry about Mom, she's always like that around guys."

"Okay… show us the way kid!" stated Yusuke, with an armed raised in a salute.

The kid blinked as he looked at Yusuke.  "I like you, but my name is Shippo, not kid."  Shippo then turned around and started walking away.

Kuwabara leaned in and whispered, "Do you think we should follow him?"

Yusuke hit him over top of the head.  "Of course we should follow him!  What are you, a moron?"  And with that, Yusuke ran to catch up with Shippo.

Kuwabara digested that for a moment before reaching a conclusion.  "Hey was that an insult?!"

~*~

"Alright, here's the deal," began Higurashi as she laid out the maps she had been carrying.  "We have dug here and here," she jabbed the paper at the locations.  "So far we have come up with…"

Kurama tuned out her voice.  He sensed a strong power near him, and he had to investigate.  He narrowed his focus… it was to his right, and practically next to him.

He turned slightly.  The only one to his right was Higurashi, and she couldn't hold that power.

'Or could she?' whispered Youko.

Kurama checked again, and took a step back in shock.  She _was_ the one holding that power!  This wasn't logical!  The person couldn't hold that much energy!  And if she were the person looking for the jewel, she would stay away from the area.  Youkai would be swarming this area like June bugs to an electric light!  No one would stay in the area intentionally if they knew of the risks.

'Unless she were a youkai...' drifted in Youko's voice.

Kurama's eyes narrowed.  That was plausible.  But I don't know for sure, I need to ask Kuwabara, I have no expertise in distinguishing disguised youkai.  It takes someone especially attuned to their spiritual senses.

~*~

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- youkai world

~*~

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Amanda01

cutie_pie_2101_1012

Kristie

Rootbeer –love the name!


	4. Happenings

Gomen for the wait!  I had exams, I got sick, I had to got get an allergy test, and… you get the point.  Here is the chapter!  Enjoy!

Chapter 3:  Happenings

~*~

I wonder where Higurashi is…

Kurama had been busy all week.  He had been overseeing the dig and keeping his senses alert to every sound, smell, and aura that was close.  It was non-stop work.  He even had to do Koenma's work when he was asleep!

The diggers were working fervently and had few breaks.  Kurama had seen hard task makers before, but Higurashi topped them all!  Even Kuwabara dropped his woman's code of honor and started calling her names along with the rest of the group.

Kurama, on the other hand, had never done such.  He had never seen or been near her long enough to know what the others were talking about.  

Youki was all over camp, but it didn't seem like its source was malevolent.  He couldn't be sure if the youkai was Higurashi since he could never get close enough to her.  Every time he came within a 15-meter radius of her, she would leave the area.  He was sure that Higurashi was avoiding him!

Kurama sighed.  Most of the time he couldn't get away from the female populace.  But when the time came when he had to be around one, he couldn't.

_And_ what was really taxing him was the fact that the youki's source seemed to be male and _really_ young.

Overall, it was frustrating Kurama to no end!  His fox instincts were screaming to take action and figure out this bothersome puzzle.

But he couldn't, it would disobey orders; so he threw himself into his work, in hopes of muffling his urges.

~*~

Kurama was about to enter the office building to get some data, when Higurashi ran into him… literally.  Her ever-present books and papers tumbled out of her arms and fell on the dust road.

"Oh Higurashi!  I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!"  Kurama stooped down to get the dirty books and files.

"Quite alright," she snapped.  "I didn't see you either."  She kneeled down to help him.

Kurama grinned at her, but stopped at her glare.  "I _am sorry, Higurashi.  Is there anything I could do?"_

"Well, first off, you could call me Kagome."  She caught Kurama's confused look.  "I hate being called anything other than my given name."

"Ok…  Kagome."

Kagome smiled briefly.  Kurama had to resist the urge to gasp.  That smile totally changed her countenance and made her look like an innocent angel instead of the Ice Queen.

He smiled back.  "Where are you going?"

Her grin was gone and her stony face was back, but her voice was slightly warmer as she spoke, "I'm going for a walk in the woods.  I need to map the area for more possible dig locations."

Kurama nodded his head in agreement, but didn't believe her.  Most likely, she just wanted to breathe, away from the insults.  "Enjoy it while you can.  If you do find a spot to dig, all of the greenery will be removed."  Youko was cringing at that statement.  If she dug there, there would be fewer plants, and fewer plants meant fewer resources of energy.

"I know, but I need to do my job," she said with a sigh.  She then mumbled under human hearing, "No matter what the cost, and no matter how I feel."

Kurama heard this and was puzzled.  She wouldn't be saying this if she were a youkai.  At least not one that was power-hungry and looking for a jewel.

Kagome gathered up her supplies and stood up.  "I need to check up on my son.  Good-bye."

~*~

The woods were howling like a pack of starving wolves.  Trees were reaching out with their branches to grab the unwary.  The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, giving only a small amount of light to those outside.

"Looks like there's going to be a storm tonight, eh, Kurama?" inquired Yusuke.

"Yes, it seems like it.  But I'm not quite sure."

"Oh?  Why?"

"Youko doesn't smell any water or charge in the air that would indicate a storm."

"Really?  Then why is everything… eerie like?"

"I don't know.  Maybe something or someone is disturbing the area.  It would be best if everyone stayed inside right now."

"Right," he agreed as Kurama reached for his jacket.  "Hey, where are you going?  Didn't say that we should stay inside?"

"I need to find Kagome."

"Who?"

"Higurashi."

"Why go look for her?  She's the most cold-hearted woman alive!  Leave her out there and maybe something will get rid of her for us."

"I'm worried.  That's all."

Knowing that Kurama wouldn't be persuaded, Yusuke threw his hands up in the air.  "Fine, go out there; you'll be sorry once you interrupt her private time."

Kurama grinned at that statement.  "I'm prepared for that."

"Whatever."

Kurama was about to open the door.  "Keep an eye out."  The door opened and a blast of wind came in.

'This isn't a natural wind,' Youko muttered.  'Something must be behind it.'

The hairs on the back of Kurama's neck were standing up on end.  'You don't know how much I agree with you on that.'

Kurama headed out of the camp toward the woods.  The air was blowing crazily and the trees were black shadows.

Kurama peered at the trees.  Through the branches, a muted, blue, glow flickered slightly.

'What was that?'

'We're about to find out.'

Kurama trudged into the woods.  His arms around his body in an attempt to keep his jacket from flying away in the inky night.

Kurama followed the blue.  He couldn't say it was a light, or a glow, it was more like a mist.  A blue mist with a phosphorus glow was leading him to its source.

The black silhouettes of the trees created an eerie feeling within him.  It felt like the mist didn't like him, it didn't want his presence.  But at the same time, he felt a comfort coming from the mist, like a warm embrace surrounding him.  It was creating a confused feeling inside of him.

'Get us out of here,' whispered Youko.  'I feel like I'm about to lose my mind!'

'I know what you mean, but at the same time I don't.'

'Stop speaking in riddles and just leave!'

'I can't, we still have to find Kagome.'

Ahead of him, Kurama could see an opening in the woods.  It was where the mist seemed brightest.

He was a few feet away from the hollow, when he saw her.  Kagome was meditating.  Her legs were crossed, her eyes were closed, and she had her hands out in the typical Buddha fashion.  But what really got him was that she was hovering two meters up in the air!

Kurama stood slack jawed.  As he gazed at her, he vaguely noticed that a blue aura surrounded her.  It was the same color as the mist.

Hesitantly, Kurama stepped out of the tree line.  "Kagome?" he questioned.

He took a few more steps.  "Can you hear me?"  Kagome was still immobile.

"Kagome?" he questioned again, this time with an urgent note in his voice.

He sensed a presence.  Turning his head to its location, he just barely managed to glimpse a blurred creature rushing towards Kagome at top speed.

Without thinking, Kurama ran, extended his arm, and knocked her out of its way.

Kurama hissed and withdrew his hand as soon as he knocked her away.  He took a quick look at it and saw it was an angry red color.

Not wasting anymore time, Kurama took out his whip.

Kagome's eyes snapped open as the sensation of falling caught up to her.  What the…  Her eyes landed on Kurama.

"What in the world do you think your doing?!" she screamed.

Kurama seemed to be holding a very large and spiky vine in his hand and was standing in a defensive posture.

"What are you, deaf?  Answer me, you idiot!  Why in the world would you just knock me…?"  Kagome trailed off.  Standing in front of Kurama was a salivating youkai.

But, youkai are dead!  One can't be here!  She scrambled for her bow.  Kurama is just a human, he can't defend himself!  Especially with Tarzan's swinging vine!

Kagome had just managed to grab her bow when the youkai charged Kurama.  Amazingly, he dodged.  I guess I have to give him some credit, she thought grudgingly.  But he still doesn't know how to handle a youkai.

Kagome had nocked her arrow and was about to shoot, when Kurama used his "Vine".

He brought it back in a whip like fashion, and hit the youkai right between the eyes.  The youkai immediately was cut in two and landed on the ground with a soft thud.

Kagome still had her bow drawn when Kurama turned to face her.

"Are you going to put that down?  I really don't want to go to the hospital with a puncture wound," he stated calmly.

After defeating the youkai, Kurama turned around to a surprising sight.  Kagome was in a defensive position with a bow in her hands.  A glowing, blue bow…

Of course, being Kurama, he replied coolly, "Are you going to put that down?  I really don't want to go to the hospital with a puncture wound."

Kagome didn't even twitch, she was as still as a statue and didn't look like she was going to be moving anytime soon.  Kurama was slightly worried that she would let go of the string without even realizing it.  Thus, the puncture wound comment.

Kurama brought out his hand to make a calming gesture, when a sharp pain went up his arm.  Looking down at his hand, he saw a nice shiny red coming from his palm.  He dimly remembered being burnt when he was pushing her out of the way.

What type of youkai uses a bow?  More importantly, what type of youkai has energy that burns your skin when you touch it?

His sudden movement brought Kagome to her senses.

"Are you hurt?" she cried as she rushed up to him.  "Did the youkai hurt you?"  She grabbed his hand and looked down at it.  She muttered, "Where did you get this from?  That youkai didn't seem to have any poison or fire abilities."

"I think I got it from you," Kurama interrupted.

She jerked her head up to his face.  "How could you?  You're a human.  Only youkai would be damaged by my energy.  And when damaged, they would disintegrate."

Youko shuddered.  'If a youkai touches her power, he disintegrates?!'

"I don't understand," whispered Kurama.  "I shouldn't be hurt if I was a human, yet if I was a youkai, I would disappear."

Kagome nodded her head before she looked at his palm.  It needed to have some type of salve on it.  "Come on, we need to get something on this."  Kagome picked up her bow, which she had thrown to the ground in her haste, and grabbed Kurama's upper arm.  "And you need to tell me how you defeated that thing without getting a scratch."

"I would also like to have a few questions answered," Kurama replied wryly.  "I want to know what…"

"Later," she snapped, bringing back Higurashi.  "We'll answer the questions when we get some shelter; it looks like it is going to rain."  She dragged him away from camp.  "I know a place not far from here.  It's an old, abandoned hut of some sort."

"Lead the way."

"Don't worry about that."

~*~

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- Youkai world; only used in Yu-Yu Hakusho

~*~

Reviewers:

SilverKnight7- sorry, no voting.  The set pair is Kag/Kur, so don't worry.

Aka Bara- Sorry Bara.  I think that Sango would never go to the future at all.  And I feel sorry for Miroku.  He is always tossed aside in YYH and Inu cross overs

Fire Elfglow- Was that sarcasm?  I'm not sure.  But yeah, there's supposed to be a lot of suspense in this!

Ai Higeki- good question.  I will answer that later.

Hittokiri-Tenshi Kenshin's Grl- I'm keeping it up!  Yay!  Go me!

Dark_lil_Hiei- Are you happy that I updated?  I'll try to go a little faster, but it's somewhat hard when you have my writing process.

Amethyst- I love your stories!  Keep up the good work in those!

Rosie13- Kuwabara isn't that big of an Idiot in the YYH series.  I was watching Yu Yu Hakusho the movie a while ago and I realized some things.  1)Hiei talked!  He didn't say "Hn" all the time!  And he was actually joking around.  2) Kurama wasn't calm and collected the whole time.  3) Yusuke didn't yell at Koenma AT ALL!  4) Kuwabara actually thought of a plan to save Yusuke's butt!  (this is besides the fact that he crashed into a Cliffside right after he did that)

Mooneyoukai- do you think that idea is that original?  I mean, I was thinking about having this as an AU Kagome and Sesshomaru fic.

InuKitsuneMiko- yes this is a Kag/Kur fic.  I put it on the Summary if you didn't see.  And PS, I'm a girl.  Just so you know!

Dark Huntress- Are you happy now?  I updated!

Caladriel- Oh yes, cliffies.  I love them, so expect some more.


	5. Questions

Chapter 4: Questions

~*~

Kagome's hand reached out to brush away a stray branch.  The sky was getting worse, and they still hadn't reached the hut.

"Hurry up; we need to get to the hut before the rain starts!"

Kurama was just behind her and taking an agonizingly slow pace.  He was oozing with a self-confidence that was shown by the small smirk on his face.

What in the world his he so smug about?  I think that the chance of a thunderstorm would be more than enough motivation to get under some type of cover.

Sneaking a glance back, Kagome noticed that he still wore that smirk.  Fine, I'll just ignore him, and then maybe he will stop.

'This isn't a thunderstorm,' said Youko haughtily.

'I know that.  Must you state the obvious?'

'Of course.  It's in my nature to do so.  And anyways, the girl hasn't realized the current state of the weather yet.'

Kurama turned to the said "girl" and noticed that Kagome looking at him sourly.  He was about to put on a blank look until he noticed that his mouth wouldn't move from its position.

'Youko!  Stop smirking!  It's irritating her!'

'I'm bored; I will do as a wish.'

'Watching a Teletubbies video sounds awfully tempting right now…' thought Kurama.  Youko automatically relinquished his claim on the muscles.  'See?  That wasn't so hard.'

Youko remained silent.

Up ahead, Kagome was still searching for the trail towards the hut.  Kurama could hear her muttering about old huts, how no one ever needs them, and not finding trails that lead to them.

Kurama ducked his head and smiled in amusement.  You would never guess that she would have that broad of a vocabulary.

He spotted an herb on the side of the road.  He recognized it as a specific one that soothes and treats burns.

Kurama bent down and grabbed it with an outstretched hand in one swift movement.  Kagome hadn't even noticed.  Good, he thought, I don't want her acting like a mother hen; even though I seriously doubt that she would do that.

"Okay.  We're here," Kagome announced.

"That's good.  Now can I ask my…"  He was cut off.

"Later," she snapped.  "We need to get that hand treated first."

Kurama was stunned.  That was the second time she had cut him off!  Unbelievable!

"Come on.  We haven't got all day!"  Kagome walked up to the hut and went inside.

He sighed in defeat as he went up to the door.  When would she not be pushy?

The hut was a tiny, single room with thin walls and an earthen floor.  Kagome had piled some sticks in the center and was attempting to make a fire.  Unsuccessfully.

I wish Hiei were here, thought Kurama.  He could make that pile of twigs a pile of ash if he wished it.

"Sit and relax while I take care of that hand of yours."

Kurama awkwardly sat down against the thin walls with one knee bent in a laid-back pose.

"Comfortable?" she questioned.  He nodded.  "Good.  Now give me your palm."

He smiled slightly.  "You don't know how much you sounded like a Palm Reader."

Kagome practically had her nose in his hand.  "Hush up and let me concentrate!"

"Do you know what you are doing?"

"Yes, I have studied herbology and ancient healing since I was 15."

Interesting, hardly anyone in Tokyo knows about plants.  And she has been studying them since she was a child.  "And how long ago was that?"

"Seven years."

Kurama leaned back farther into the wall.  "How did a 22 year old become the head of an archeological dig?  Most people your age would still be students."

"Look who's talking, Mr. Minamino.  I looked up your files and you are only one year older than me.  So tell me, how did you get in the Museum's good graces?"

Kurama's throat was dry.  "It's… strictly confidential."

"Confidential, huh?  Or is it just that you don't want to tell me?  Don't want me to use the same moves you did?  Fine, I can live with that."

Kurama threw up his hands in defeat.  "Alright!  I'll tell you, as long as you promise to answer my questions."

Kagome looked him straight in the eye.  "Deal."

Kurama gulped.  No one ever had made him act like this before.  It was as if he was going through puberty all over again!  "Well…" he started.  "A friend of mine has connections to the Head of the Board of Directors.  All he basically did was pull a few strings to get me started, and here I am!"

"Hm, that seems plausible.  I guess it's your turn to ask the questions now."

"Okay, how did you get the job?"

"I skipped the 11th and 12th grades and went straight on to a Community College. I took the freshman and sophomore years in one.  I guess that the college was so impressed that they let me go on to Tokyo University."  Kagome looked at his face.  "Unbelievable, I know, but it was tough.  Thank goodness, I had my family to help me.

"Wow," he said in awe.  "Its hard to imagine anyone doing that, let alone anyone with a son.  What's his name by the way?"

"Shippo," she said with a slight hint of parental pride.  "He's around ten now, but you would never guess it."

Kurama smiled at that.  "I know what you mean, my brother, Shuiichi, is also like that."

Kagome looked puzzled.  "But I thought that your name was Shuiichi."

"It is, but he's my step-brother.  Everyone just calls me Kurama now."

"I see."

"Okay, next question.  How did you get into my files?"

Kagome smiled.  Again, Kurama was amazed at the change in her face.  "Oh that's easy.  Shippo is a wiz at the computer.  He doesn't do anything illegal, but he can get into anything if he really wants to."

"Why would you want to check my files?"

"Oh, I do that to everyone.  This is a major dig; I can't have anyone untrustworthy around here."

"Hm," he said in agreement.  It was another thing out of the ordinary for a regular human.  "Okay, how did you recognize that youkai?"

Kagome looked at him steadily for a while and then quickly turned her attention back to his hand.  "My grandfather is a fanatic about ancient legends and myths.  He talks about them all the time.  When I saw it, I automatically labeled it as a youkai."

She's lying; her voice and her scent are betraying her.  She knows more about youkai than by descriptions from her grandfather's stories.  But _how_ does she know?

"Final question, what was that blue glow that you and your arrow were emitting?"

She sighed.  "If I told you that, I would have to kill you."

Kurama raised an eyebrow at that.  Despite her display of power, he still seriously doubted that she could really do some major damage.

Seeing his skeptical look, she elaborated.  "No one is supposed to know what it is.  First of all because I can't control it.  And secondly because it might invite the wrong type of people here."

"Hm," he said through pursed lips.

"Now, I need some herbs to act as a salve for the burn.  I saw one on the way here but…"  Kagome trailed off when Kurama pulled out the very herb she was talking about.  "How did you…?"

"I know a thing or two about plants myself," he said with a kind smile.

"Thank you," she said when he handed it to her.  "Just give me a moment to prepare it."  Kagome went outside and came back with two rocks:  one to hold the herb on, and one to crush it with.

As Kurama watched Kagome grind the herb into smithereens, he felt a great sense on peace descend upon him.  Just being in her presence calmed him down almost to the point of dropping his guard.  Mentally, he knew that that was dangerous, but he sensed that Kagome wasn't harboring any ill will.

Kurama sighed in contentment.  It seemed that even Youko was pacified.

Kagome had finished preparing the salve.  Grabbing a bandage wrap from a bag of hers, she proceeded to wrap up his hand.

To Kurama, the ointment felt like an ice cube.

Kagome was checking to see if anything else needed attention, when she asked a question.  "Where did that vine come from?"

Kurama immediately stiffened up.

"I mean one second it was there and the next it wasn't."

Youko, sensing Kurama's distress, tuned himself to Kurama's thoughts.

'What's going on?'

'Kagome just asked where that whip came from.'

Youko shrugged nonchalantly.  'Why not just tell her?  I mean she obviously has some powers of her own; it won't hurt her to know that others have the same abilities.  You humans always seem to shun those different than you, and maybe she doesn't know about spirit energy.'

Kurama was skeptical.  'But what happens if she is a youkai?'

'Kill her.  If she is dead, you would be the next person in charge, so you don't have to worry about losing the case.'

'True.  But I don't think I should.'

Youko yawned, 'You better make a decision because she looks ready to hit you upside the head.'

'Hey, where did you learn that phraseology?'

'American cowboy films.  I watched them while you were asleep.'

'What else did you do?!'  Kurama asked in panicked tone.  But Youko did not answer; he had blocked all forms of communication to and from Kurama.  'You would think that after having someone in your head your whole life, you would know them very well.'

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" interrupted Kagome.

"Huh?" blinked Kurama.  "Oh yeah, the whip thing.  I need to say a few things before I tell you, so can you please be patient?"

Kagome gave him a glare.

There wasn't a reason for that!  "Okay, I know you were lying about the youkai.  You didn't just learn about it from your grandfather."  Kurama held up a hand as Kagome made a move to object, "I don't know how or why you could recognize it, since there have been very few youkai in the human world since approximately 300 years ago."

"How do you know this?!" she blurted.

Kurama casually waved his hand.  "My boss is the prince of the Spirit Realm.  I'm sent on all these missions to find stray youkai, destroy collaborators and…" he paused, "to find magical artifacts."  Just as he suspected, Kagome immediately stiffened up.

"Magical artifacts?" she choked.

He gave a nod.

She put her hand to her breast.  "But why are you here, then?  There isn't one here."

Kurama leaned back.  He was studying her, waiting to see what her next action would be.  He wanted to be prepared to see if it would be an attack or a flight of fear.  "Again, you are lying.  You know that there is one here; you are the one looking for it.  Tell me, why do you want the Shikon no Tama?"

Again, Kagome was a statue.  You think she would have gotten used to the unexpected questions by now.

"I…" she started.

Kurama tried prompting her with a "You…"

"I…  I am the Shikon's Guardian."  It was Kurama's turn to be shocked.  "I was the one who had it in her body before I broke it, I was the one who collected all of the shards and purified them, I was the one who fought beside my friends and beat Naraku, I was the one that lost it inside the earth, and I _am_ the one who is trying to find it."

"But, that was five hundred years ago!"

She looked at him.  "I know."

~*~

Osuwari- commonly mistaken as the word "Sit" in Japanese.  In actuality, it is a command of obedience for a dog.

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- Youkai world; only used in Yu-Yu Hakusho

~*~

Reviews

Fire Elfglow- I know what you mean about the sarcasm.  I am so sarcastic at home that my mom's FRIEND wanted to slap me silly.

BloodRoseOTDemon- I'm glad you liked it; you're a first time reviewer for my story, aren't you?

Amethyst- I'm keeping my stories up, at least I'm trying too…  I'm kind of grounded from the computer, so I have to be sneaky.

Askukay- I know that cliffies are evil!  But please don't put me OR my cliffies in clown world!  *Falls down on knees and begs* Pretty, pretty please!  I didn't even know that this chapter was going to turn out as one!  It just happened!

Smilebehappy39- lol, I just loved your review!  I automatically thought "Nemo".

Thanks to all the people that reviewed my story.  Since you didn't leave a question or comment that I can reply to…  I'll just put your name at the bottom of the chapter.

Dark_lil_Hiei, 45, SilverKnight7, Kristie


	6. Hunts

Chapter 5: Hunts

~*~

Kagome felt as if her stomach was up in knots.  You think she would have gotten used to the unexpected questions by now.

"I…" she started.

Kurama tried prompting her with a "You…"

"I…  I am the Shikon's Guardian."  With that statement said, Kagome felt the urge to expose others.  "I was the one who had it in her body before I broke it, I was the one who collected all of the shards and purified them, I was the one who fought beside my friends and beat Naraku, I was the one that lost it inside the earth, and I _am_ the one who is trying to find it."

Kurama seemed to be incredulous.  "But, that was five hundred years ago!"

Kagome looked at him.  She wanted Kurama to understand the seriousness of that fact.

"I know," she said monotonously.

Kurama looked thunderstruck.  This totally eliminated all suspicions of her being a human!  "But," he sputtered, "how?"

Kagome appeared to be thoughtful.  With a sigh she said, "I can't tell you now.  I don't know how you would react to it.  If you were a regular human, you would throw me in the loony bin straight away.  And if you weren't, I'd still have to put it into terms that you would understand."

Kurama leaned back again.  "I'm not going to get anything else from you, aren't I?"

"Nope," she said with strained cheeriness reminiscent of Botan.  "I'm as stubborn as a mule when I want to be."

"I see…"  Kurama drawled.  "Well, is there anyway that you could answer this one question?"

"Depends what it is."

"Are you a youkai?"  Kurama was only asking her to be sure.  "I mean, the only logical way for you to live that long is to be a youkai."

Her facetiousness gone, she mumbled, "No…  I am not a youkai.  I'm one hundred percent human.  I've even checked."

A little disappointed, Kurama thought about other possibilities.  As he did so, a heavy silence descended over the room.

Kagome fidgeted.  It had been 10 minutes since someone had spoken.  Long silences between to people always made her nervous.  Someone or something _had _to break the calm that had descended between them.

Kagome gave a slight cough, hoping to gain his attention and therefore lead to an inquiry about her health.

He ignored her.

Kagome huffed inwardly.  And here I thought he was a nice, sensitive guy.  She sighed; I guess it's up to me to start a conversation.

She put in a tone of playfulness into her voice and said "So are _you_ a youkai?"  She fully intended an outburst of laughter or a swift denial.  But it never came.

He seemed to ponder over the question before answering.  "I guess you could say I'm a hanyou, of sorts.  I've never really thought about it."

Kagome was shocked, in the least.  Hanyous were rare, and therefore not widely known.  If he stated that he was a hanyou, then he must have done a whole lot of studying or he was telling the truth.

 "Hanyou, you say?" she choked.  "Of sorts?  How so?"

He grinned, "Let's just say that you would 'throw me in the loony bin straight away'."

Kagome's lips twitched.  She wanted to smile, but it felt unnatural to do anything of the sort, especially outside family.  Those occasions that she had slipped were rare and were occurring less frequently.  Only Shippo could make her beam.

"But you seem so human."

"Well, at this current time I am human."

"Current time?  How can one be currently human?  It isn't the full moon."

Kurama had his eyes closed.  "There are ways to do the impossible, Kagome.  According to Fate, I happened to be one of them."

Cryptic, very cryptic.  But it had a ring of truth.  She mulled over his words.

"Should be go to bed?  I mean, it's late."  Gone was the mysteriousness that Kurama held.  In its place was quiet concern and pure logic.

"Yes, sleep would do us good."  Kagome settled down in her corner of the hut.  "Good night," she yawned.

"Good night."

~*~

There was a knocking on the door the next morning.  No, it wasn't a knocking, it was a pounding.  A never-ending, ceaseless pounding that made Yusuke's head feel like there was some hitting it with a hammer.

Yusuke powered up slightly.  Whoever was at the door was going to pay.

The knocking stopped.  Yusuke relaxed into the pillow thinking that whoever it was had left.

Boy was he wrong.

Just as he was about to drift into unconsciousness, the whole house shook from a huge impact.

Yusuke cursed as he pulled on a pair of pants.  "That wasn't an accident!"

He sensed a youkai enter the premises.  "Looks like Hiei isn't doing a good job in protecting the boundary."

He turned the corner and jumped out.  His finger and thumb shaped like a gun.  "Put your hands up, you…"  Yusuke then proceeded to call the intruder every name under the sun.

The youkai had the sun to his back, so Yusuke couldn't make out any details.  He could tell that he was short, and that was by Hiei's standards.

"Wha'cha doing?" piped up a young voice.

Yusuke lowered his hand slightly.  He moved a little to the left, and noticed that the youkai was Shippo, Higurashi's son.

I could have sworn that it was a youkai…

"Are you sane?"  It was an innocent question.

"What?!"

"Are you sane?"  Shippo repeated.

"Of course I am."

"Sure…" he said while eyeing the still raised hand.

Yusuke quickly put it down.  "So what are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm looking for my mom.  I thought she was here."

"Why would you think that she would be here?"  Yusuke was already getting distracted with the thought of Breakfast.

Shippo ducked his head.  "It was just a guess."

"Well, Kurama went out looking for her last night, maybe he knows."

"I didn't see him working."

This grabbed Yusuke's attention.  "You mean he there?"

"Nope."

"Listen kid…"  Shippo growled.  "Shippo…  Kurama usually sneaks into a house.  He never announces his arrival." 

"We have cameras all over the place, and I didn't see him come in."

"You mean he hasn't come back?"

"Nope.  And I'm not really worried about him.  Mom is my main concern."

"He went out to look for her last night."

Shippo immediately turned serious.  "And neither of them has come back?"

I swear, thought Yusuke, he acts exactly like a fox.  "Sorry."

"But Momma always comes back!" yelled a panicked Shippo.  "We have to find her!"

"Ok Shippo, we need to go looking for him then.  He could be in serious trouble.  He doesn't look like it, but he is one hell of a fighter.  And as you already know, he is very prompt."

Shippo nodded his head in agreement.  "So where are we gonna start?"

"He said he was going to look for your mom in the woods.  It seems that she was taking a walk.  That would be the logical place to start."

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"Alright!  Let me get Kuwabara, he's good at this kind of thing."

Shippo inclined his head and waited.  Yusuke went further into the hut to look Kuwabara.  But one question still plagued him, how could Shippo knock down that door?

~*~

Shippo had woken up at dawn.  He had gotten dressed, brushed his teeth, and had finished breakfast before he checked up on his mother.  She would always be curled up on her bed with the blanket up to her chin.  But today she wasn't there.

This was enough to send poor Shippo into panic mode.

He ran throughout the house looking for her, calling her name, tearing up furniture, and basically destroying everything in his path.

Finally, after turning his previously spotless house into a dump, a grain of logic took control.  His fox instincts honed in on the nearest energy source, and without a second thought, took off running for it.

He came upon one of the workers quarters.  After pounding on it for five minutes, he lost his temper and knocked the door off his hinges.  Inside the threshold, was a crazed man yelling obscenities and holding his hand as if it were a gun.

Shippo blinked.  It took him a moment to register that the man was Yusuke, one of the newbies.  By the looks of it, he wasn't completely aware of himself.  Shippo needed to gain his attention in a way that would make him pause for at least a minute.  I mean, it wasn't everyday that you found an insane guy waving his hand in the shape of a gun.  And people with mental disabilities tended to be violent.

"Wha'cha doing?"

Yusuke lowered his hand slightly.  "What?!"

"Are you sane?"

He seemed to be confused with that question.  "Of course I am."

Shippo didn't believe him.  He was still looking at that… gun.  "Sure…"

Yusuke quickly put his hand down.  "So what are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm looking for my mom.  I thought she was here."

"Why would you think that she would be here?"

Shippo ducked his head.  "It was just a guess."  In actuality, it was because of the high amount of energy here.  There would have only been two possibilities for that amount.  First was that it might have been Kagome looking in on people, or it could have been her abductor.  Inwardly he cringed; it seemed that his instincts went a little too far.

"Well, Kurama went out looking for her last night, maybe he knows."

Shippo shrugged.  "I didn't see him at work."

This grabbed Yusuke's attention.  "You mean he wasn't there?"

"Nope."

"Listen kid…"  Shippo growled.  He hated being called anything other than his name.  "Shippo…  Kurama usually sneaks into a house.  He never announces his arrival." 

"We have cameras all over the place, and I didn't see him come in."

"You mean he hasn't come back?"

"Nope," Shippo stated bluntly.  "And I'm not really worried about him.  Mom is my main concern."

"He went out to look for her last night."

Shippo immediately turned serious.  "And neither of them has come back?"

"Sorry."

"But Momma always comes back!" yelled a panicked Shippo.  "We have to find her!"

"Ok Shippo, we need to go looking for him then.  He could be in serious trouble.  He doesn't look like it, but he is one hell of a fighter.  And as you already know, he is very prompt."

Shippo nodded his head in agreement.  "So where are we gonna start?"

"He said he was going to look for your mom in the woods.  It seems that she was taking a walk.  That would be the logical place to start."

Shippo was jumping up and down.  "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Yusuke threw his hands up in the air.  "Alright!  Let me get Kuwabara, he's good at this kind of thing."

Shippo inclined his head and seemed to be waiting patiently.  Yusuke went further into the hut to look Kuwabara.

Why didn't they hurry?  Didn't they know that his mother could be dying?!

~*~

Osuwari- commonly mistaken as the word "Sit" in Japanese.  In actuality, it is a command of obedience for a dog.

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- Youkai world; only used in Yu-Yu Hakusho

~*~

Review Responses:

Black Ruby Kitsune- I'm planning to put Hiei in here, so don't worry.  But that will be later in the story.  I need to make Kagome less of an Ice Queen first.  And remember, you can't have Kagome and Hiei together without having a few spats!

Fire Elfglow- You know what?  Something strange happened, instead of everyone hitting me for being obnoxious, I'm now hitting them!  It seems like we have switched places.  I'm like "whoa…"

Kristie- I'm glad you liked the cliffy.  I seem to do those unconsciously; I have no control over them whatsoever!  See, even this chapter has a cliffy.  Albeit, a small one.

Night Fox- I didn't actually mean for Kurama to be confused that much, it just happened!  But you have to think about it in detail, Kagome is talking about things that are impossible, how else would Kurama react to that?  PS.  What does QUA mean?

Rosie13- Sorry about the lack of updates!  A month _is_ too long!  Do you keep track of your stories or something?  Because how else would you know that it was exactly a month?

SuzumiTenshi- I hope I made the deadline!  I've had so much work to do that it wasn't even funny!  I barely got in five minutes a week!

Thanks to: Dark lil Hiei, SilverKnight7, Kegs-sama, tbiris, akuma_river, ptbear


	7. Foxes and Kitsunes

Chapter 6: Foxes and Kitsunes

* * *

A little boy crawled up into his mothers lap. "Momma, can I ask you a question?" 

"Of course, Shippo," smiled the black haired woman. "What type of question?"

Shippo smiled, showing off his fangs in the process. "One about foxes!"

"How typical…" murmured the woman with amusement laced in her voice. Shippo's eyes widened with fake shock and began to tickle her for "insulting" his heritage.

"Alright, alright! I give up! Stop tickling me!"

Shippo grinned once more. "You promise?"

"Yes!" she wheezed, "I promise!"

Shippo then settled back into her lap. "You know, Kagome, you shouldn't mess with kitsunes."

Kagome struggled to keep her face straight as she said, "Please accept my humblest apologies. I have learned my lesson. I will never again mess with the kitsune race."

"Good," Shippo said smugly, "you have finally gained some wisdom. Now, about foxes."

"Well, I can honestly say I don't know anything about them," murmured Kagome. But before Shippo could make another protest, Kagome said, "But I know something that does. Stay here while I get it." Kagome then lifted Shippo off her lap and headed to the kitchen.

Shippo was puzzled. What _thing_ could tell him about foxes? He had only been in the modern era for a few months, and many things still puzzled him. Like telephones. The people here actually believed that they are talking to other people! If Shippo hadn't seen Kagome pick up the box and talk through it, he would have believed that the whole population was insane!

Kagome was actually surprised when Shippo had voiced his opinion. She'd thought that he would be most curious about the TV. But Shippo wasn't stupid, he knew that the people on the TV were just shrunk temporarily and put into the box so they could entertain others.

"I'm back!"

Shippo immediately sat up straight. Kagome's scent was permeated in excitement.

"Here!" she said and handed Shippo a book. Shippo gave her a queer look. Kagome motioned for him to open it.

Inside there were paintings. Paintings like the ones that Kagome made from her little flashing box. She called them pictures. Except, these pictures were different. Instead of pictures of the group, these were pictures of foxes. There were so many kinds! Artic foxes, Red foxes, Gray foxes, Fennecs, Swift foxes, Sand foxes, and so much more! Shippo hadn't even heard of most of them!

"Do all of these species have youkai equivalents?" he asked.

Kagome looked thoughtful. "I guess so. It would all depend on where they lived. Fox youkai in the Northern American continent wouldn't be called a youkai; most likely they would be called spirits."

Shippo's eyes widened. "Really?"

Kagome nodded. "Different places have different beliefs and systems. This might be why "youkai" are only in Japan."

"Oh… What species do you think I am?" Shippo had hardly seen any kitsunes in his life, with the exception of his parents of course.

Kagome peered at him thoughtfully. "By your coloring, I'd say that you were a Red fox."

"Cool!" said Shippo. It seemed that he had picked up some expressions from Souta. "Let's read about the Reds! Let's read about the Reds!"

"Alright! Stop bouncing around so I can read the text!"

Shippo plopped down into his chair and immediately snuggled up.

"Ok… the Red fox." Kagome browsed through the page. "'They are the most common types of foxes. They are distinguished by their black ears and feet and their white tipped tail.' I guess we know what you will look like if you ever go into your true form, eh Shippo?"

Shippo didn't say anything; he was too engrossed in the information.

Kagome giggled a bit. He was too funny! "'The alertness of the red fox and its keen senses of smell, sight, and hearing allow it to live close to humans.' Wow, Shippo, I didn't know that!"

Shippo's chest puffed up. "You know that all foxes are superior. We can beat anyone, especially dogs, at anything!"

Kagome let out a laugh. "I bet you could. But remember, dogs have a better sense of smell than foxes." Shippo glared at her. "But in everything else, they _are_ superior."

Shippo nodded his head in agreement and folded his arms. "Aren't you going to read some more?"

"'Foxes are believed to mate for life.'" Shippo made a face. "'And they live for a lifespan of about 12 years.'"

Shippo paled. "Does that mean I'm never going to become 13!?"

"No. Remember Shippo, you are a youkai, so you have a life span that is many times the amount of your animal counterparts. You can live to be about 1200 years old."

"That is remarkable!"

Kagome shook her head. "We need to work on your slang; I see that Souta hasn't been_ that_ much of an influence. Ok, 'Foxes are all over the world. They are mostly located in the Northern Hemisphere, but have been introduced to Australia.'"

"What's that?"

"It's a continent in the south."

"Oh."

Kagome laughed quietly. He was so cute! "'Variations of the red fox have developed: Southern foxes are smaller and have lighter-colored coats, and those of the north are larger, with thicker and darker coats.'"

"Where do you think I am from?"

"A middle area. Now let me finish reading! 'The silver fox, valued for its black, frosted fur, is simply a variant of the red fox.'"

"A 'Silver' Red fox? That is so weird. I thought they were a different species."

"Well they're not. Have you ever met one?"

"No, but I have seen one. It talked to my father once. He wouldn't let it get near me."

Kagome sighed. "Too bad. It says here that the silver fox is rarer than the red ones. I guess we'll never see one."

Shippo jumped up. "Well, who would want to see a stupid Silver fox when you have a red one? Reds are much better! The stupid Silvers don't have enough brains to survive long enough to make more kits."

"I think I disagree with you," and with that said, she started tickling him.

"Hey!"

* * *

Kurama was wide-awake and out of bed at dawn. He had slept peacefully despite the hard ground and the little tiny pebbles that always seemed to be right where you didn't want them. He was used to sleeping outside. Even though he lived right in the middle of Tokyo, he had always seemed to find a nice park or something in which he could take a nap. 

He sighed. Those were the days. Not having to worry about youkai, Youko, _or_ fan-girls!

Kurama's ears twitched. Kagome had just let out a loud groan.

"Where's my teddy?" she mumbled. Her arms were stretched out in front of her making grasping motions; she was most likely trying to seize her stuffed animal in a bear hug. Apparently, she realized that her _teddy _wasn't there, and her arms fell to the ground with a thump.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. That was just plain weird. Ice Queens didn't call after their teddy bears in their sleep!

Then Kagome yawned. "Good Morning," she mumbled from the place on the ground. She sat up and winced. "Or not."

Kurama kept his face in a calm look. "I happen to think that it _is_ a very good morning."

"Easy for you to say, I bet you are used to sleeping outside."

"You are correct."

She snorted at his reply. "Whatever. How is your hand?"

Kurama quickly glanced down at his appendage. On his palm was a nice and shiny red mark. "It could be better. But it suffices."

Kagome didn't believe him. In her experience, guys always put up a tough front when injured. She lay her palm face up and commanded, "Hand."

Kurama had no choice but to place his hand in hers. As soon as it touched her skin, Kagome grasped it tightly and drew it in for a closer look.

"Are you sure that you aren't descended from gypsies?"

"Positive," she replied. Her face was once again buried in his hand.

Kurama looked at her skeptically. "You sure, because this is the second time you have done this."

Kagome's head shot up and she gave him an icy glare. Strangely, Kurama wasn't affected by it. Well, not as affected as he was last night. Maybe it was because Youko's presence was more dominant. Kurama could never tell when Youko was listening or not. Who knew what the reason was? He didn't care, as long as he didn't get shivers from it every time.

"Hm," murmured Kagome. "It seems that you are like the rest of the Male populace. Never admitting any injury, even when it is fatal. Lucky for you, its not."

Kagome reached and grabbed some leftover ointment. "Why aren't you healing faster? Since you know that _I_ know about youkai, why don't you tell me? Is it part of your human disguise?"

"No, it is not part of my 'human' disguise. In fact, if you recall, I told you that I am currently human, meaning I don't receive the benefits of rapid healing until I call upon my youki."

Kurama could see that Kagome was thoroughly confused, even if she didn't show it. She didn't press for answers, so he didn't feel inclined to give them. The reserved part of his nature was once again taking root. It seemed as if his sub-conscious was fed-up with revealing topics labeled (in bold, red print) "Top Secret" and decided to seal his mouth shut temporarily.

Kagome took his statement with seemingly cool indifference, but inside she was relieved. He was telling the truth and not trying to trick her! Well, that was what she convinced herself to believe. The other option was that he was pure human and a psychopath. What sane person would say that they were a hanyou? The Japanese people still feared the race even though they created youkai characters for their Animes and Mangas.

Kagome shuddered inwardly. She would have physically manifested her urge but she didn't want to be perceived as weak. The very thought of staying within a mile radius of that kind of person was daunting.

Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek. She was becoming more nervous each second. 'I can do this, I can do this…'

She had enough, she couldn't take it anymore! "Let's go!" she declared. Oddly enough, there was a deeper pitch to that statement that her voice couldn't make. Kagome looked over at Kurama.

Kurama, on the other hand, was quite calm when he voiced his statement; though he was thrown off balance when Kagome said the exact same thing at the exact same time.

'She seems to be hyperventilating,' mused Youko.

'You think? She seems pretty calm to me.'

'To the untrained eye it might. But four centuries does wonders for honing your vision.'

Kagome's voice cracked the silence. She had gained back some of the lost composure. "Since we seem to agree on that, let's depart." She got up and walked out the door.

Kurama raised an eyebrow and followed her lead. She was in ice mode. Youko was chuckling.

* * *

Osuwari- commonly mistaken as the word "Sit" in Japanese. In actuality, it is a command of obedience for a dog. 

Youkai- Japanese Demon; doesn't translate correctly

Miko- Priestess of the Shinto Religion, has magical powers; sometimes called a sorceress; doesn't translate properly

Haori- The "shirt" usually worn by men during the Feudal Era of Japan; it is the outer most of the layers in the outfit.

Makai- Youkai world; only used in Yu-Yu Hakusho

Kitsune- literally means "fox" in Japanese. But for this story, I'm using as a way to distinguish between the animal and their youkai counterparts.

* * *

Review Responses: 

Tsuki Yume- blushes I never thought of anything I do being original. Keep on telling that it is original and my ego will get so big that it will burst.

UltaAnimeFangurl2004- The word plausible is similar to possible, but it means that it has some facts backing it up or something. I was wondering when someone was going to notice it, good job!

SuzumiTenshi- Sorry, fluff won't come for a while. I don't want Youko saying "I want her" right away. I want him to develop a liking for her; this includes the Shuuichi side too. And again, I'm sorry if I didn't update soon enough. I was kind of busy.

Tbiris- Shippo is only overreacting. I hope he doesn't pop a vein or something! I mean, he's only 10.

InsaneAuthoress- beams Thank you for declaring this as the best Crossover fic you have ever read. Even though I doubt that statement, it's nice to hear it. I'm not sure I'm going to have Inu come back in. Maybe later on in the story, when Kurama and Kagome have established their relationship.

Rosie13- Kagome is going to warm up to Kurama later on. I'm already having Kurama become immune to Kagome's current personality. Later I'm going to develop it into a relationship. Gomen Nasai for the late update. I had a busy schedule and couldn't work. All I need to write is a quiet place without any distractions, which is hard to get when you are the oldest child of a very loud family. I hope to see more of your fics!

Thanks to: Fire Elfglow, BloodRoseOTDemon, Lifeless-Kanna, Kristie, ShadowTigerDemon, LIL ANGEWL and Slywolf!


	8. Strains

Chapter 7: Strains

* * *

It was quiet.  Painfully quiet.  So quiet, that you could hear a pin drop… on a rug.  Well, that is what it seemed like to Kagome.  There actually was quite a lot of vocal activity going on around her, but it wasn't penetrating her awareness.  She was focused on the road ahead and the person behind.  And is didn't help that that said person had an annoying smile on his face.

As to _why_ he had that smile on, she had no idea.  She couldn't seem to figure out what his moods were.  He was an enigma; and one that she didn't care to fathom about.  Those tiny bits of information that he had already given her were sending her head through the grinder.  Youkai, hanyou, princes, the Shikon, those were too much for her to take!  Those were part of something that she thought she had buried and left in the past.  But it seemed that it wasn't so.  It seemed that her journey to eradicate all traces of her other life was no longer near its end.  And if he was what he said he was, it was just the beginning.

"Do you hear anything?"

Kurama jerked up from his light daydream.  "Pardon?"

Kagome swiveled her head around and scowled.  "I said, 'do you hear anything?'  I thought youkai were supposed to have better hearing than us humans."

Kurama nodded his head.  Strangely, he still seemed to be unfazed by her frosty attitude.  "That's correct.  We do have better hearing, but I don't think I need it to hear this cacophony."

"That's not what I mean.  Do you hear the sounds of people?  I think Shippo would have sent out a search party for me by now.  He is very overprotective and very paranoid."

"That seems strange.  Didn't you say that he was _ten_?"

"Almost eleven, but that's not the point.  The point is whether you have heard humans tramping through the undergrowth."

Kurama chuckled lightly, though he hid it behind a thoughtful hand.  It wouldn't do to have Kagome upset, she was quite irascible already.  "Well, I hear two adult humans and a six to seven year old child going in the opposite direction.  Is that them?"

Kagome's face seemed to have relaxed minutely.  "That should be him at least.  I'm not so sure about the adults."

"I think that they are Yusuke and Kuwabara.  Though I have no clue to why they would be with him."

"I guess we just have to find out.  Shall we go and get them?"

"Of course.  I'm sorry to say that neither of my companions have an exceptional sense of direction; though Yusuke's is moderately acceptable."

* * *

"Where the Hell are they?" a tired voice whined.

Shippo shot said 'tired voice' a glare.  "No cursing, Yusuke"

That set Yusuke off.  Not only was he tired and hungry, but a _kid_ was basically telling him to shut up!  "I will stop cussing when I want to!" he screamed.

Kuwabara reached up behind Yusuke's head and bonked him swiftly.  "Gees, Urameshi, he is only a kid.  Lighten up."

"Lighten up?  _Lighten up?_  You want me to lighten up?"  Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara by the collar.  "I'll tell you about lightening up, mister.  I have been up since _before_ the sun decided to 'lighten up' the sky!  And do you know _who_ woke me up at that hour?  Hm?  That freaking kid woke me up!  So just shove it Kuwabara, I'm not in the mood!"  Yusuke shoved Kuwabara to the ground, only to see Shippo looking up at him in a nonchalant manner.  "What ya looking at kid?"

Shippo just blinked.  "Oh nothing.  You act just like Inuyasha."

"Who?"

"A friend of the family's."  Shippo tilted his head to the side.  "And you know what, you even scowl like him."

Yusuke immediately put on a blank look.  "Whatever.  Look, let's just find Kurama and your mom so we can go."

"There's no need," a feminine voice said from behind them.  Yusuke swirled around, Spirit Gun ready.  "What the heck is that for?" the voice continued, now heavily laced with scorn.  "Are you going to hurt me with your thumb and your finger, Yusuke?"

"Who are you?"

A figure stepped out from the tree line.  "I think you would recognize your own boss.  I've only been gone, like what, 8 hours?"

"Higurashi?"

"The one; and the only one _you_ know.  How are you Shippo?"

Shippo's countenance had taken a total turnaround.  Instead of sullen and panicky, he now looked carefree.  "I'm fine!  What happened to you?"

Higurashi's face softened.  "I decided that the forest was too pretty to leave."

"Okay, okay!  Enough family reunion!" shouted Yusuke.  "Where's Kurama?"

"Right here."  Another black-haired figure stepped out from behind the trees, this time it was someone Yusuke was familiar with.  "I thought you had already sensed me, Yusuke."

"What is it about everyone and trying to scare the crap out of me?"

Higurashi looked curious.  "What do you mean by that?"

"Well first I have someone pounding on the door at an ungodly hour of the morning; then I have the door on the ground and this kid…  Shippo standing there; next I find out that Kurama hasn't come home, which is pretty unusual, and took a stroll in the woods with _you_; then, would you believe it, I go out in this freaking forest to go look for you and you pop up in front of me.  Scared the living… um… tar out of me!  How would you like to have that kind of day?"

Higurashi looked at him evenly.  "I've had worse."

Yusuke snorted.  He didn't doubt it.

"Why don't you get Kuwabara off the floor?  He still seems to be shocked at our arrival."

Yusuke quickly looked down.  Indeed, Kuwabara shocked.  His mouth was opening and closing in a manner similar to a fish's and he wouldn't stop staring at Higurashi.

Yusuke walked over to the immobile object and gave a swift kick.  "Get up!  We haven't got all day, you know!"

Kuwabara turned his head to Yusuke, still making the fish movements.

Yusuke sighed.  "Alright!  I'll carry you!  Gees!"  Yusuke scooped up Kuwabara and threw him over his shoulder.  "I hope that you know that I'm not going to be carrying you the whole way there."  He received no response.  He turned to Higurashi and Kurama, and made a motion indicating that they should go first.  "I don't want to go looking for you again," he explained.

* * *

It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the plants were humming… not at all like the day before with that blue mist and the storm that never happened.  Which led him to question, what _was_ that storm?

'Very simple,' stated Youko.

'How so?'

'Well, remember how there wasn't any hint of moisture in the air?'

'Vaguely.'

'And do you also remember stating that someone or something had to be behind it?'

'_That_ I do recall.'

'Well, who else had enough power to cause those types of reactions in nature?'  Kurama's thoughts drifted to the youkai that attacked Kagome.  'No!  Not that low-level thug!  Who was he aiming for?'

Kurama's eyes widened.  'You mean…'

'Yes, I mean the chipmunk.'

'What?!'

'Gees, you think that you would recognize a joke once in a while!  I mean _Kagome!_  Didn't you see that mist coming from her?  And the blue glow?  She has power and potential.  But we don't know what type of energy she has.  We were burnt just by touching her!  All I have to say is thank goodness for your human side, or else we would have been a pile of dust!'

'You have a point.  What type of power would do that?  It is nothing ever accounted for; at least, not in recent Spirit World records.  What is she?'

"What the heck are you saying, Kuwabara?" interrupted Yusuke.  He and Kagome were crouched next to Kuwabara, who was twitching slightly every few seconds.

Kurama rushed next to him.  "What's the matter?  Is something wrong?"

"While you were zoning out, Kuwabara was making a gallant attempt to regain consciousness," stated Kagome coldly.  "Unfortunately, the ordeal was obviously too much and now he has been reduced to the quivering mass before you."

"You certainly have a way with words," muttered Kurama distractedly.  He was too busy trying to see what was wrong with Kuwabara.

"So do you, it seems."

Then, Kuwabara started muttering.  "Power… so much power!  And purity!  Pure power… but seems so cold.  Distant and cold… So gentle, yet not.  She…"

"Did he say she?" thought Yusuke.  "A powerful, pure, gentle, and cold female?  What are you muttering about?"

"It seems," started Kurama, "that his spirit sense has absorbed too much information about a certain someone too quickly.  All he needs is some time to organize his thoughts."

"What thoughts?  He _has_ none!"

Shippo popped up and promptly kicked Yusuke in the shins.  "Everyone has thoughts, Yusuke.  Even though he doesn't make the most obvious of observations, he is smart!  Give him some…"

Kagome scooped up Shippo.  "That's enough Shippo.  Now, apologize to Mr. Urameshi."

"Sorry."

"And you, Yusuke.  I never want to hear you degrade anyone while you work in my staff, you understand?"

Yusuke gritted his teeth.  "Yes ma'am."

"Good.  Now, let's see if I can do anything."  Kagome promptly went down on her knees and placed her hands on Kuwabara.

"I don't know what the heck you could do.  We are in the middle of a freaking forest!"

"Calm down," soothed Kurama.  "Watch and see what she does."  In reply, Yusuke gave Kurama a funny look but complied nonetheless.

Kagome began to glow a bright blue.  She made a strained face and Kuwabara glowed slightly too.

"What the…"  Yusuke made a move forward.  Kurama's arm shot out and barred the way.

"She says that her power cannot harm humans, let's see if she is telling the truth."

Yusuke stopped struggling and watched.  After a moment's time, Kuwabara stopped twitching and a peaceful smile descended upon his features.

"I'm done," voiced Kagome.  She rose to her feet.  "All I did was relax him.  Now could we please go home?"

"You shouldn't have done that, Mama."

"I know, sweetie."  Kurama waited for her to elaborate, but she gave no hint of doing so.

"Wait!  So _you're_ the reason he is like this?"

She rested her eyes on Yusuke.  "No, I am _not_ the reason.  It was his body's response to a shock."

"Let it be, Yusuke.  She'll explain it later."  Kagome shot him a glare, but Kurama only grinned at that.  "Won't she?"

Yusuke was quickly looking back and forth between Kurama and Kagome.  When Kagome had given her glare, Yusuke immediately froze.  It should have affected Kurama too, but instead he had smiled and pushed one more button.  _What happened during last night?  Does it involve her power?_

* * *

"Finally!  We're back!" yelled Shippo.  He was jumping up and down rapidly, looking like a kid in a candy store.

"Calm down, Shippo," warned Kagome.

Shippo stopped jumping, but then he spun around and latched onto Kagome.  "How do you expect me to calm down?  We are back home!"

"What is his obsession about home?" mumbled Yusuke.

Kagome didn't spare him a glance.  "Let's just say that he moved around a lot when he was younger."  She yelled, "Shippo, I said calm down!"  He ignored her.  "Oh shoot!" she whispered as she ran up and scooped Shippo up.

Yusuke was intensely curious about that strange outburst.  As he watched Kagome mutter severely in Shippo's ear, he moved along side Kurama.  "Do you know what's up?"

Kurama was also watching the scene in a questioning manner.  "Sorry to say that I don't."

Yusuke shrugged in a non-caring way.  "Well I just figured that you might know something since you didn't seem to be surprised by her energy."

"I gained quite a bit of knowledge from her last night.  More than I thought possible!  But she is still hiding facts from us."

Yusuke whistled a low note.  "Another Koenma?"

He chuckled.  "Not quite, but close.  The difference between the two is that Koenma chooses not to give us information because it makes him feel special.  Kagome chooses not to because she is hurt, or at least I think she is."

"Higurashi hurt?" he said incredulously.  "If you weren't so serious, I would take it as a joke!"

"I'm afraid that it isn't a joke.  I'll tell you what happened in the forest as soon as Kuwabara wakes up."

"Suit yourself.  Are you coming home now?"

"Maybe later," Kurama muttered distractedly.  The youkai energy that had been driving him crazy was nearby.  "I need to do something first."

* * *

This is a bit of Advertising, but I found this really great forum site that is just for the Kurama and Kagome pairing!

It's called "Unlikely Love… or Not?" and we need more people!  The members that we have are really fun and are NOT Kurama hogs (for which I am thankful).

I hope to see you there!  (I put 3 spaces between the words)

http:   kurkag.   proboards25.   com/   index.   cgi

* * *

Reviews!  (In alphabetical order)

DM Youko: OH!!!  So that is it!  Are you Brazilian or something?  Lol.  I think I'm going to start using qua now!

Dream Vixen: I'm not sure if I'm going to use Sango's and Miroku's descendents.  Currently that wasn't a plan, but maybe I'll work around it.

InsaneAuthoress: Gees, thanks.  Maybe if you keep on saying those things I'll update more… which isn't likely, but I love having my ego bloated

Rosie13: poor Rosie!  Having to lay off stories…  I know what you mean by the amount of work.  I feel like I'm drowning sometimes.

Thanks to: MusiqMistress, nekokitsune16, tbiris,


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